Fighting Back
by A. Windsor
Summary: Sixteen years after “You’re Welcome”, six after Not At All and Making Do, Angel’s new family returns to Scotland, and all hell breaks loose. Part Three of the alterna!verse future set up in Not At All.
1. A Weakness for Blonde Slayers

Title: Fighting Back

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Angel, Cordelia, the McAllister twins, Connor, Lucas, the Scoobies

Pairings: Angel/Cordelia with residual Buffy/Angel, Willow/Kennedy, Xander/Dawn, and mentions of Buffy/Spike

Summary: Sixteen years after "You're Welcome", six after _Not At All _and _Making Do_, Angel's new family returns to Scotland.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans Bella and Henry McAllister, Lucas Jacob Reilly, and a few select Slayers) aren't mine, but the situation is.

Author's Note: Lengthy threequel to continue the series started in _Not At All_, which (along with Part 2, _Making Do_) should probably be read before reading this (not for plot reasons, but at least for, who the frak are these people? reasons.) Again, continuing the quest for A/C without Buffy bashing.

**Chapter One: A Weakness For Blonde Slayers**

Lucas Jacob Reilly is the grandson of Angel, the vampire with a soul, formerly Angelus, the Scourge of Europe. He is the grandson of Angelus's sire, Darla, feared for 400 years on several continents. He is the son of the Destroyer-turned-accountant Connor Reilly, to whom demons bowed in fear and for whom history was rewritten. But you wouldn't know that to look at him. At six, he is a tiny, purely human child, slight and thin, fragile and silent. A soft dusting of pale blond hair, from his mother and paternal grandmother, falls into deep brown eyes from his paternal grandfather.

Like his father before him, he has no recollection of his biological mother, and though, like the twins he considers siblings, he does not use the label "mother" for one Cordelia Chase, she is the one who raised him, just as would have been for his father had not fate intervened. He has none of the strength of his grandfather, father, and Slayer-sister, none of the supernatural powers of his surrogate brother and mother. His body betrays him, and the only skill he's mastered over the past six years is hiding.

"Hey there, bubba," a warm voice from beside him greets. "Bella and Henry brought some food from the café car. Here's a sandwich."

Face pressed to the cold glass of the night train, watching the moors trickle by as they're soaked by a rainstorm, Lucas flicks his eyes briefly to his Cordy, even granting her a smile as he takes the warm sandwich from her.

"Little man. Juice?"

Lucas nods to Henry as the older boy slides into the seat across from his, handing off a bottle of apple juice.

"Are we close, Cordy?" Bella asks, plopping down beside her twin brother. Her blonde hair, light like Lucas's, is pulled back in a loose ponytail as usual. Though there is no biological connection, Lucas could very easily pass as the twins' actual little brother. "I don't remember from last time."

"That's 'cause you were unconscious, Bella-bear," Henry grins, winking at Lucas as Bella's hand traces the bite scare at her neck. "Where're Angel and Connor?"

"Doing a sweep of the train," Cordy answers, looking nervously out the window. "We'll be there soon."

* * *

"Whoa there, little princess. TJ, slow down!" Xander calls, his voice echoing down the stone hallway. His three-year-old daughter pretends not to hear him and continues hell-bent in search of Aunt Buffy. "TJ, I'm serious. Get back here!"

The dark-haired little girl glances back over her shoulder at him and continues running.

"Tara Joyce," he sighs. His next reproach is cut off by the blaring of the breach alarms, and TJ turns wide, terrified green eyes to him as she freezes in fear. He's by her side in a few long strides and scoops her up with ease.

The toddler sticks her fingers in her ears and squeezes her eyes shut, tears escaping.

"Don't worry, princess. You're safe with Daddy," he assures her, hurrying to meet up with the rest of the inner circle. As he bursts into their ready room, TJ cries out for her mother and leaps into Dawn's arms.

"What's the deal?" Xander asks after placing a reassuring kiss on his daughter's temple. He studies the screens surrounding the room, full of Slayers on full alert… and no one to fight them.

"Definite breaches. Six," Willow tells him from her place at the computer station.

"But the sentries report no visual confirmation. They say they're alone," Kennedy fills him in.

"And the alarm system has never gone off for no reason," Willow reiterates.

"There's nothing out there," Buffy announces, ax in hand, as she bursts into the room, frustrated.

"Which means it's already inside," Giles notes, voice as calm as ever.

"I'm not picking anything up inside," Willow reports.

"Looking for us?" a new voice interjects. The voice is vaguely familiar, as is the blonde teenage girl who drops from the ceiling in between Willow and Xander. She lands with an extraordinary grace that is all-too-familiar: a Slayer.

"You've really got to work on the security here," another, even more familiar voice adds, dropping on the other side of Xander.

"Angel?!" Buffy and Xander exclaim in unison.

"Far too easy, really," another, vaguely accented voice joins them, landing to complete the triangle. This new arrival is a thirty-something man, as deadly graceful as a Slayer.

"If I had known it was this easy, I wouldn't've knocked last time." The last figure doesn't drop as much as float in like the Higher Being she is.

"Cordelia?" Giles questions. He swings around to the blonde girl. "So this must be…"

"The McAllister twins, at your service," Henry finishes for him, landing beside his sister, a young boy perched on his back. "Giles, right?"

"Henry?" Kennedy smiles.

The teen boy grins in return and embraces the Slayer. "Hey, Kennedy. How've you been?"

Willow gets up to hug the boy as well.

"And who's this?" she questions, looking to the kid Henry has lowered to the floor. At the attention, Lucas runs over to Cordy and buries his face in her middle.

"Oh, hey, it's okay, Luke," Bella calls over to him. "These guys are good guys."

With a smile most of the former Scoobies would deem uncharacteristic, Angel grabs the little boy in his arms.

"This is my grandson, Lucas," he announces proudly. "Wave hello, buddy."

Head tucked shyly on Angel's shoulder, Lucas waves to the room, nerves obvious in the deep brown eyes he's inherited from Angel.

"You must be Connor," Buffy says, turning her attention to the other unfamiliar face in the room.

Connor nods affirmative. Buffy marvels at the traces of Angel in his face, though he now looks more older brother than son. Angel and Cordelia, immortal, and undead, as they are, look no more than twenty-five. She notes that the man has yet to even look at his son.

"What are you guys doing here?" Xander asks Cordelia as she, Angel, and the twins greet their friends.

"We don't need to talk about that right now," Cordy smiles, enveloping him in a hug. Smile still in place, she asks: "Is that pretty little girl yours?"

"She is," Xander beams. "TJ, princess, come here."

Hesitant in the face of strangers, the girl cautiously makes her way over.

"Hello," she says, fingers in her mouth.

"Hello, TJ. I'm Cordy. Your daddy's friend."

Wrapped around Xander's leg, TJ waves and offers a tentative smile.

Across the room, Angel is surprised at how not awkward his reunion with Buffy is.

"How old are you, Lucas?" Buffy asks the boy in Angel's arms, much better with kids now that she's an aunt.

"He's six," Angel answers for him.

"Oh, wow. So not long after…"

"No, not long after."

"So, you've been well?"

"We've been surviving," Angel answers honestly. "It gets rough, and it's not the ideal life I'd like for Lucas or the twins, but they're doing well. The twins especially. They get stronger every day." Lucas squirms against him, interrupting Angel's train of thought. "All right, buddy, go get your Cordy."

Lucas complies, eagerly hurrying to Cordelia's side and slipping his hand in hers.

"He's shy," Buffy notes.

"A little."

"He hasn't said a word since he got here."

"He doesn't," Angel says, eyes getting troubled. "Speak, I mean. Never has."

"Oh."

"We've adapted. He's not dumb. He just… doesn't speak."

"And his mom?"

A cloud passes over Angel's face. "Killed by Wolfram and Hart. When he was a week old."

"Hey, Angel," Henry interrupts with a hand on Angel's shoulder and an apologetic half-smile at Buffy. To the Slayer's ears, it sounds more like "Hey, Dad."

Henry, at sixteen, has grown into a handsome young man with a charming smile and short, messy hair a strange mixture between red and blond.

"What's up, Henry?"

"I was wondering if we could impose on our hosts for a hot meal, warm showers, and clean beds," he says, suddenly looking very tired.

"Of course," Buffy finds herself smiling in return. "Let's get you settled."

"I'll round up the troops."

As Henry goes about, earning a barely visible grin from Connor, a laugh from his pretty sister, and a million-watt smile from Cordelia, Angel turns his attention to Buffy.

"We just need a place to crash for a while. Henry's been getting some cryptic dreams, which is strange for him. They're usually pretty straight forward. All he can tell so far is that something big is about to happen. Cordy and I figured we'd like to be here when it happens."

"What about everyone who's after the twins?"

"That's begun to taper off."

Off Buffy's puzzled look, Angel elaborates, "They can fight back."

* * *

"South and east are all clear," Connor reports, appearing over the top of the castle wall and landing next to Angel. Knowing Connor, he probably scaled the wall to get there. Angel takes a moment to study his son.

His hair is kept short and out of his eyes, the most physical proof that he's no longer the troubled, brooding teenager who punched a portal from Quor'toth and stared angrily out from underneath stringy bangs. His lean, deadly frame has filled out with age, but he still moves silently and sinisterly. Sometimes Angel pines for the angst-filled, homicidal boy of yore, because at least that Connor had some sort of emotion.

"North and west clear, too," Bella reports, dropping from the balustrade above to land at Angel's other side.

Unlike most Slayers, the fatal grace of her destined powers infused her body in utero, grew with her through childhood and adolescence. She's never known what it is to be a normal girl. With her usually sweet manner, the death and destruction she can easily create are quite the juxtaposition.

"You know, we've got it under control," Xander adds hesitantly behind them, eying the trio. He's never really seen Angel in this General-mode, hasn't seen in action the strange hybrid of family and battle squad forged by six years of war on the run.

Angel ignores the other man, focusing instead on his son and the girl who's become his daughter.

"Nothing suspicious?"

"Everything in order," Bella nods. "Their Slayers are keeping watch."

"We got past them," Connor notes, accusingly.

"We had an inside man," Bella counters. "Angel knew the defenses. We'll be fine."

"I'd like to take another loop of the moor," Connor announces, earning an eye-roll from Bella.

"You just want to avoid being social."

They bicker like crazy, but Bella is the only one Connor comes close to opening up to. Whether it's their kindred inner demons or growing up unlike normal children, Angel is unsure, but he is nevertheless grateful for their relationship.

"Be careful," Angel calls after Connor as he drops from the wall.

"Whoa," Xander says, getting odd looks in freakish unison from Bella and Angel. "Sorry, not used to guys being able to do stuff like that."

Bella smiles kindly.

"He's a boy Slayer," she says, referencing the frequent teasing the twins give Connor.

"Something like that," Angel laughs, slinging an arm around Bella and pulling her close. "Let's get you to bed, young lady."

"Whatever, old man."

Still teasing, they disappear into the castle after a perfunctory, "'Night, Xander."

Looking out over the nightscape, Xander calls, "Hello, Buffy."

The original Slayer of this generation slips down from her perch on the tower above.

"Developing extra senses?"

"Just know you."

"He's different."

"He's happy."

"He loves that girl."

That earns a smile from Xander. "He's always had a weakness for blonde Slayers."

"I didn't expect them to come back. Have you talked to Cordelia at all?"

"No, not much. She's been looking after Lucas a lot. Can you believe Angel's got a grandkid?"

"I still can't believe he has a kid. I mean, I knew about Connor, but…"

"Looks older than all of them," Xander notes with half a chuckle.

"Immortality's a bitch."

"How are you holding up with him back?"

"I knew why he was leaving, Xan'. I'm glad he's happy. He really loves her."

"He really loved you."

"Emphasis on the tense," Buffy offers with a soft grin. "Don't worry about it, brother-in-law. Shouldn't you be tucking my niece in?"

Xander checks his watch. "Crap! See ya later, Buff'."

Xander's phone rings and on the other end Buffy hears, "Daddy, you're late!"

* * *

Angel slips into the room he's sharing with Cordelia and is pleased to see no one else seems to be sleeping there, as is often frequently the case. He strips to his boxers and climbs under the covers already warm from her body temperature. He likes to complain that she gets to be powerful and immortal without any of the limitations of vampirism. The complaint is usually met with a signature eye-roll the twins have learned to copy and a playful admonishment to stop whining.

"Where's Lucas?" he questions after pressing a kiss to her neck. Though he is glad they don't have to share their space with his grandson, he is concerned as to his whereabouts.

"With Henry. They're having a boy sleep-over," Cordelia answers sleepily, turning over to greet him. "Bella and Connor?"

"Bella's going to bed. Connor's doing another round of the perimeter."

"Being anti-social."

"According to Bella, yes."

"This place is so much comfier than that place in London," she luxuriates, stretching and then settling her head on his shoulder, her body molded to the side of his.

"We have our own room," Angel notes.

"Yeah, thank god. Your grandson is a kicker. I think I have bruises," she yawns.

"Aren't you practically invincible?"

"Well, if you wanna get all technical about it…"

Angel smiles and lets her drift off to sleep, arm wrapped tight around her. He can't imagine how he went two and a half centuries falling asleep without her.

* * *

tbc


	2. A Little Weird

Title: Fighting Back

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Angel, Cordelia, the McAllister twins, Connor, Lucas, the Scoobies

Pairings: Angel/Cordelia with residual Buffy/Angel, Willow/Kennedy, Xander/Dawn, and mentions of Buffy/Spike

Summary: Sixteen years after "You're Welcome", six after Not At All and Making Do, Angel's new family returns to Scotland.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans Bella and Henry McAllister, Lucas Jacob Reilly, and a few select Slayers) aren't mine, but the situation is.

Author's Note: Thanks to all who read the first chapter. Here's some more!

**Chapter Two: A Little Weird**

The McAlister twins and their young charge Lucas Reilly stake out a corner of the castle's dining hall for breakfast the next morning. While characteristically silent Lucas tears voraciously into an assortment of eggs and bacon, Bella and Henry try to adjust to their surroundings.

"Kennedy invited us to work out with the Slayers today," Henry says through a mouthful of pancakes. "God, these are good."

"Sounds like fun," Bella agrees, though after swallowing her own breakfast. "Anything useful last night?"

Taking a swig of orange juice, Henry grins, "I'm finally out of debt to Doyle. Now he owes me a thousand euros."

"So that's a no," Bella rolls her eyes. "And quite a hefty sum of money. Why is it always poker? Don't you ever dream like a normal person? Or not dream at all?"

Henry shrugs. "Nope. Never had a normal dream or a dreamless sleep in my life. Always futurific or horrific or playing some good ol' fashioned poker with my man Doyle."

"Most scientists would deem your over-abundance of REM sleep unhealthy. You shouldn't be able to function like a normal human being."

"According to most scientists, you don't exist," Henry chirps back merrily. "What did you dream about last night?"

"Didn't," Bella says easily. "At least not that I remember. Did you dream last night, Luke?"

The boy nods.

"Good or bad?"

The boy shrugs.

"Not too scary then," Henry smiles, ruffling Lucas's hair. "Think the little man talks in his sleep?"

"No," Bella laughs, "But he does kick."

Lucas makes a face at the accusation.

"Don't try to deny it," Henry says, handing him a plate of toast. The growing boy tears into that with equal vigor.

"Question," Bella announces, looking over her glass of juice at her brother. "Just how much were you in debt to Doyle?"

"Varies," Henry says with a tilt of the head. "Was up to about ten thousand euros at one point, but I've worked my way out of it. I think Doyle's going easy on me 'cause alcohol finally entered my subconscious. I believe his exact reaction was 'I knew that time in Dublin was well spent'."

Bella grins. She's never met Alan Francis Doyle, but she does enjoy hearing stories about him from her brother, and more recently, Angel.

"Angel said he was in love with Cordy before he died. Doyle, that is."

"Really?" Henry quirks an eyebrow. "Never mentioned it. Explains a lot, though. Must've been funny, watchin' Doyle and Angel duke it out over her."

"Nah. Angel hadn't realized he was in love with her yet. Said he was too dense. And he was still mooning over Buffy."

"Broody McBroodsalot mooning? No way!" Henry fakes disbelief dramatically, earning a wide grin from Lucas. Tugging on the sleeve of the younger boy's shirt, he exclaims: "Ooh, babe alert, nine o'clock."

Bella's face falls into her hands. "God, you really need more normal human interaction. Please stop."

"Just look at her," Henry counters. "She's hot."

Lucas nods emphatically, earning a skeptical look from Bella.

"Luke, you're six."

The girl in question is around the twins' age, maybe a few years older, with ebony skin and chocolate eyes, and she moves with the grace of a Slayer.

"Lucas, be my wing man," Henry says, rising to his feet and pulling Lucas up by his shoulder. "We'll be back, sis."

Bella rolls her eyes again (she finds she does that a lot around the men in her life) and concentrates on finishing her breakfast as her eyes scan the room. Slayers ranging from a little older than her to nearly forty mingle around clusters of round tables. Aside from her brief, mostly unconscious and secluded stay here six years before, Bella has never been around this many other Slayers. Kennedy and Buffy are really the only other Slayers she's ever come into contact with. She doesn't know if that makes her feel more or less alone.

"You're the twin," a voice interrupts her thoughts. A woman in her early twenties, obviously a Slayer, plops down into the seat Henry just vacated, a friendly smile in place. "The other Slayers are very intrigued by you. Rogue and twinned."

"Bella McAlister," she introduces herself, hand extended. "The boys are Henry and Lucas. Henry's my twin."

"Right, the boy the younger ones are swooning over," the newcomer teases. "Some of them anyway."

"Believe me, not that attractive when you've never spent a day apart."

The other Slayer lets out a warm laugh.

"Lucia Fennella," she introduces. "Lucy'll be just fine. I've got a burning question."

"Shoot."

"How did you all get in here unnoticed?"

"Not completely unnoticed," Bella counters. "The breach alarms went off. But Angel knew the way in, since he helped build up the security while he lived here. And we're pretty good at being sneaky."

Lucy laughs and lets her eyes slide over to Henry and Lucas.

"Ouch. He picked probably the only straight girl here who won't let him charm her."

Bella just shakes her head in the direction of her brother.

"So," Lucy changes the subject. "What's Rome like? I'm getting sent there next week."

"Old and full of vampires," Bella laughs. "I'm afraid I can't give you any touristy details. It's a big W&H city, too, so we don't spend a lot of time there."

"W&H?"

Bella's brow quirks, confused by the other Slayer's lack of knowledge of the law firm.

"The Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart?" she tries again.

At Lucy's still questioning gaze, Bella's suspicions start to rise. Perhaps this Slayer is a little too curious about the twins.

"Wolfram and Hart, evil law firm spanning dimensions," Bella answers quickly, gathering her own and her boys' plates. "I should clean up and save my brother. See you later?"

She disappears.

"Whoa there, Bella-bear," Henry cries as his sister grabs his arm and pulls him away from striking out with Makena. "What's the hurry?"

"Just saving you from making a fool of yourself," Bella says.

Lucas in tow, the twins exit the dining hall.

"They seem to be getting along," Cordy notes, nodding towards the mile-a-minute chattering TJ Summers-Harris and the silent Lucas Reilly. "She doesn't seem to mind that he's not talking back."

Xander laughs, handing her a cup of coffee and sitting down with her on the couch in the living room/play room of his apartment in the castle.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. In fact, she probably prefers it."

"Well, silent men, kind of the dream," Cordy teases.

Xander grins and then tests the waters for more serious conversation.

"So, his dad's not really in on the childrearing, huh?"

Cordy cuts her eyes across to Xander.

"Connor's just…" Cordy begins weakly.

"The name I wasn't allowed to say. The root of all your guilt. I'm guessing that's why you let him pawn his son off on you."

"It's more complicated than that," Cordy argues, indignation rising. "Connor's been through a lot."

"So have you. So has Angel. So have the twins," Xander points out skeptically.

"Not now, Harris. Okay?"

Xander drops it, pouring her some more coffee. "Do I get to say 'I told you so' with the whole you and Angel thing?"

She hits him lightly on the arm, and he grins.

"Only if I get to marvel over the fact you, Alexander LaVelle Harris, are a father. I gotta say, it's not something I saw coming."

Xander smiles in the direction of his little girl, the three-year-old easily bossing her older companion around in a manner befitting her Summers heritage.

"I could say the same for you."

"I'm not…"

"I've got three examples to the contrary. Should I call the twins in to testify?"

"I'm just filling in where their mothers couldn't," Cordy self-deprecates, catching something out of the corner of her eye. "Lucas! You can't fly."

Xander lets out a nice warm laugh. "Oh yeah. You're a natural. TJ, get off the back of the couch, please. You know, when we joked she was one half pure energy, this isn't what we meant."

"So I guess no number two for a while?"

Xander shrugs. "We'll see. It's not exactly the safest place to raise a family."

"At least it's stable."

"Yeah. And with family like ours, maybe it is as safe as we'll get…"

_Crash. Bang. Smack._

"Owww…"

Cordelia laughs as she looks over to see TJ in a mass of limbs, Lucas looking on helplessly.

"What's so funny, Chase?" Xander questions, helping his daughter to her feet and brushing her off. She looks no worse for wear and runs off happily once Xander's kissed her elbow.

"Nothing," Cordy laughs warmly. "She just would've gotten along so well with the twins. Henry never stood still."

"Really? Henry, not the Slayer-kid?"

"Nope," Cordy shakes her head. "Bella was the type where you put her in a corner with a book and she wouldn't move. Henry was the type to speed-read the book, then toss it aside and start climbing something."

"That makes a surprising amount of sense."

"You sure you don't have any fun super powers, Hank?" Kennedy asks playfully, ducking one of his punches as they shadow box in one of the Slayer training rooms.

"Just my extreme good looks," Henry grins, throwing a feint at her right side and almost catching her on a left hook. "And the dream-thing. Strength-wise, no. That's all human."

With a smooth movement, Kennedy has him in a headlock.

"No match for a Slayer, though."

"As I keep reminding him," Bella pipes up, applauding from a pile of mats. Kennedy returns the young girl's grin, haunted as usual by the echoes of familiarity she feels around the twins.

"Your turn, Miss McAlister," Kennedy says as she frees Henry after he concedes defeat with raised arms.

Hopping down from her perch, Bella bounces a few times, punching the air. As the two Slayers circle each other, they fall into a rhythm. As Bella didn't get to spend a lot of time with the older Slayer on their last visit, she is surprised at the ease the three feel together.

"So, Kennedy," she says as each gives a few testing punches, feeling out each other's strengths and weaknesses. "What do you know about Lucia Fennella?"

A little puzzled by the question, Kennedy dodges one of Bella's punches and turns her about.

"Slayer, a little older than you. Just got back from an individual assignment in Morocco. Heads to Rome next week. Why?"

"Nothing," Bella shakes it off, stowing this information away. "She was just really nice at breakfast this morning."

"Yeah. I don't know her that well. She hasn't spent a lot of time here. But she seems okay."

Bella shrugs and ducks under Kennedy's blow, catching the older Slayer's arm and twisting it behind her.

"Nice," Kennedy praises, attempting to break free. The attempt lands them both on the ground and the test of skill quickly devolves into wrestling, Henry diving into the fray.

Willow, coming to check on the trio, discovers them all in a knot on the mats. At first, the scene makes her laugh, but she's suddenly hit by a flash of something else that stops her dead in her tracks.

"You okay, Willow?" Henry questions, the first to tear himself from the tussle. Kennedy and Bella quickly stop, too. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Which probably wouldn't surprise us," Kennedy smiles.

Willow shakes it off and offers a half-smile. "I'm fine. No ghosts I'm aware of. How's the work-out coming?"

"It kinda turned into a dog pile," Henry admits, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "You seen our mom around?"

Willow shakes her head. "Kenn, Andrew wanted to see you for a few minutes when you get a chance."

"We should be going anyway," Henry says. "We should relieve Cordy of Lucas duty. Do you know where Angel is?"

"He was talking to Giles and Andrew in the main briefing room," Willow informs them.

"Alright. Thanks," Henry nods, offering his hand to help his sister to her feet. She gives him withering look and flips herself up to her feet. Henry pulls a face. "Show off."

The four of them meet Cordy and Lucas in the hallway.

"Hey, little man," Henry greets warmly, scooping the boy up and throwing him over his shoulder. "Been flirtin' all morning?"

Hanging behind Henry, Lucas makes a face, but Henry can't see it.

"Don't pick on Luke, Hen'," Bella admonishes.

"He's a big brother. That's his job," Kennedy adds.

"See. I knew there was a reason I liked you, Kennedy," Henry grins.

"Cor, we're gonna take Lucas for awhile. Is that okay?" Bella asks. "I saw there was a collection of Sesame Street DVDs lying around here."

"Those are TJ's," Kennedy pipes up. "I'll help you get them set up."

"You'd be amazed how many countries have their own version of Sesame Street," Henry says as the twins, Lucas, and Kennedy continue on down the hall, Lucas waving goodbye to Cordelia from his position bent over Henry's shoulder.

"Henry, put Lucas down before all the blood rushes to his head!" Cordy calls after them.

Henry acknowledges her orders with a wave and lets Lucas onto the ground, where he stumbles a little and then continues alongside his older companions.

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Cordy turn her attention to Willow, letting out a sigh.

"How are you doing?"

"A little weird."

"A little?" Cordy teases, arms crossed over her chest.

Willow is unfamiliar with this Cordelia. She certainly isn't the Queen C of Sunnydale, but she seems much more human and at ease and Cordy-like than the Cordelia who arrived with a broken Slayer-child six years previous.

"I just had really strange moment. A vision. A memory, maybe?"

Cordelia is more interested, arms dropping to her sides.

"Just now? With Bella and Henry?"

"Back in the training room with the twins and Kennedy."

"What kind of vision?"

"The twins, well, I think the twins, were much younger, maybe Lucas's age. And they were wrestling with Kennedy, like just now. But it felt very familiar and right and…"

"Like you were a family?" Cordy smiles knowingly.

"How…"

"You were. In another reality. There's a reality where you and Kennedy find the twins and raise them after Julia dies. The twins' birth mother," she explains off Willow's confused look.

"That… That explains a lot."

Cordy laughs. "Doesn't it, though. You'll find once you know all about alterna-worlds, things in this world make much more sense."

"For example?"

"If the Powers don't want you to know, I'm not going to be the one to tell you."

"Since when has that been your policy?" Angel interrupts, joining the ladies in the hallway, his hand automatically going to the small of Cordy's back in greeting.

"Since I got in trouble for telling you, Mr. Manpire," Cordy informs him, maybe a bit petulantly.

"Wouldn't want you to get another scolding from the Powers," Angel teases.

"I do like to limit those to one a week," she grins back affectionately.

* * *

TBC


	3. A Little Too Curious

Title: Fighting Back

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Angel, Cordelia, the McAllister twins, Connor, Lucas, the Scoobies

Pairings: Angel/Cordelia with residual Buffy/Angel, Willow/Kennedy, Xander/Dawn, and mentions of Buffy/Spike

Summary: Sixteen years after "You're Welcome", six after _Not At All_ and _Making Do_, Angel's new family returns to Scotland and all hell breaks loose.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans Bella and Henry McAllister, Lucas Jacob Reilly, and a few select Slayers and villains) aren't mine, but the situation is.

**Chapter Three: A Little Too Curious**

When Bella smiles at Angel, the vampire understands fatherhood in a way he never did before. It's the same smile first gifted him six years ago, and yet it changes every time she graces him with it, growing older, more mature, more understanding. Her laugh still warms his undead heart, but the jokes that earn such a laugh are constantly evolving. And with every passing day, her child's body turns into a woman's, those beautiful, tender hands and dancer's grace turn more deadly.

Henry, who hides his growing maturity better under his boyish nature, is morphing more and more into a man, a good, proud man, on a daily basis. Though Angel must concede it's mostly Cordelia's influence, he hopes there's some of his own guidance in there. Henry studies diligently under the vampire's tutelage, hoping to keep up with his powerful sister and older companion. The way Henry jokes with and learns from and embraces Angel is everything he ever hoped for, and never got, from Connor.

His relationship with his biological son is not so promising. Though Connor has agreed to stay on and help their new family fight, Angel feels that has more to do with Cordy and Bella than it does with any filial loyalty. And though he doesn't grow any more distant than when they were first reunited six years ago, he neither gets any closer. He barely even notices Lucas's existence, and despite Bella's pleadings, that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. But as a fighting force he has only improved, honed his reflexes and skill to fit in with the style of the twins.

Three weeks ago, he watched Connor, Henry, and Bella wipe out two dozen vampires before he could even join them. The three of them fight in such perfect, lethal unison that his demon gets nervous when he watches them.

But it's sometimes hard to remember how deadly those tiny, tender hands of Bella McAlister can be, when she's cuddling Lucas on her lap or granting reassuring touches to her brother or Connor or Cordy. Or how much destruction her tiny, dancer's body can cause when she's grinning and resting her head comfortably in his lap, going on about her day like any other girl her age.

He's reminded, though, when her face grows more serious as she recounts an earlier encounter with one of the other Slayers.

"She was a little too clueless and a little too interested. She was on individual assignment until last week. I'm not ready to accuse her of anything yet, but it's best that we stay on alert around her."

He promises he'll bring it up with the Slayer leadership and investigate for her, sending to her bed with the admonishment that growing girls that need their sleep.

"Growing _women_, Angel," she corrects, hands on her hips, so much like Cordy.

"My apologies, Bel'," he says warmly, earning a playful "humph" in return.

She leans down to brush a kiss across his cold cheek. Like her mother and brother and young charge, she doesn't pull away from his lack of warmth, instead providing her own warmth, own heartbeat where he lacks.

"Good night, McBroody."

* * *

Buffy is surprised to find Angel outside at this time of day, even if it is under the grand shadow of the castle. Then she sees what he's doing, why there's a slightly dorky smile spread across his ageless face.

Out of the shadow, in the bright but setting sunlight, under one of the few trees in the area, Cordelia, the twins, and Lucas seem to be dancing what looks to be a waltz. Well, Bella and Henry are spinning expertly; Lucas seems to just be learning from Cordy, feet set awkwardly on top of hers. They are all wearing warm smiles, though, enjoying the fresh air and relative safety of the last few days.

"They look pretty good," she announces her presence, though she's sure he's already aware of her.

"Cordy's been teaching them since they were little. Passes the time. She won't tell me if it's a Sunnydale skill or one acquired as a Higher Power," he answers, eyes leaving the scene in front of him briefly to meet hers.

"I'm sure it's a prerequisite in the Higher Realms."

Angel laughs softly. "Probably."

"You're happy."

It's not a question.

"I am," he confirms anyway.

"That's good. Very good. They're lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have them."

They watch in silence for a few minutes, watch the quartet change partners and Henry sweep Cordy off at a quicker tempo, earning a loud laugh from his surrogate mother. Bella and Lucas's feet get tangled, and they fall to the grass, earning a few green stains on their jeans as Bella launches an assault of tickling at the younger boy for tripping her up.

Angel turns his full attention to Buffy, face getting more serious.

"What do you know about Lucia Fennella?"

Buffy's brow crinkles at the question.

"About as much as I know about the other five hundred Slayers in the world. Why?"

Angel shakes his head. "Bella's getting some weird vibes off of her."

"'Vibes?'" Buffy grins at his word choice.

"That's a quote. She spends too much time with Cordy. But she mentioned it before she went to bed last night, so I promised I'd talk to you about it."

"I'll look into it," Buffy promises. "I never had a great relationship with my dad. Not after I got to be Bella's age. It's good that you're with her, especially at her age. She needs a strong man in her life."

Angel laughs kindly. "I'm sure she would've turned out fine without me. But I hope I'm making some sort of difference in her life."

"You are," Buffy speaks from experience. "It's hard to believe she's the age I was when all of this started. That she's so young and has been a Slayer just as long as the others. When did we get so old?"

"I've always been old," Angel grins.

"Hey! Broody! The sun's set enough. Get out here and take your woman for a spin," Henry cries across the field.

"'His woman'?" Cordy questions, hands on her hips.

Henry winces. "You know what I mean."

He earns a friendly smack from both Cordy and Bella.

"You, too, Buffy," Cordy calls as Angel starts towards them, eyes on the rapidly sinking sun.

"Scaredy cat, we're not gonna let you burn up," Bella calls. "Get a move on it."

When Buffy and Angel make it over to the group, Henry bows deeply, charmingly, and extends his hand to the Slayer.

"Flirt," Bella teases as she hoists young Lucas into the air and spins him about without fear of tripping.

"If I may have this dance, and if you may ignore my sister," Henry grins as Buffy accepts his hand.

The teenager leads well, naturally, as the three pairs dance to music in their heads. Buffy begins to fully understand why Angel left; the charm of Cordelia and the twins is infectiously hard to resist.

* * *

It had been going too well, their week at Slayer Central. Angel should've known that they're never allowed to be comfortable and happy for that long. But he was wooed by the way the twins relaxed around Kennedy and Willow (even if it confused him despite his knowledge), by the way Lucas and TJ happily chased each other around the halls of the castle, by the way Connor started joining them all for dinner, by the way Cordy was getting along with the Scoobies who had tormented her high school days (and vice versa). But he should've known it would come crashing down, and maybe he did, but he is still disappointed when he enters the training room one day to find Lucia Fennella dead on the mats, a sword through her chest, and blood on Henry's hands.

Bella hovers above her twin as he kneels next to the body, still on alert for any further attacks.

"She tried to kill us," Bella reports to Angel when he and Buffy rush into the room on the alert of the psychics. "We were sparring and…" Her voice chokes off as she loses her calm. Slayer or not, this is a human life they just took.

"'Abd al-Hamid turned her in Morocco," Henry announces, removing the leather cuff from the older Slayer's wrist to reveal the tell-tale tattoo of the crescent and pentagram. "Must've offered something better than the greatness of fighting the good fight."

"How'd she know you would be here?" Buffy asks, already on her cell phone calling in a clean-up crew.

"Lucky guess. They must have known about Henry's dreams and that we'd start seeking out answers," Angel answers, worried by how pale the twins have become. "Buffy, if you could make sure Cordy gets up here, and not Lucas."

He approaches Bella and wraps an arm around her trembling frame, gently taking her sword, bloodless, from her hand and dropping it beside them. He smoothes the hair from her face and lets her melt into him.

"I knew there was something wrong," she says, voice breaking. "I knew it… But she was so nice…"

Angel presses a kiss to the top of her head and holds her tight.

"It's okay," he assures her. "You were just protecting yourselves. It's okay."

"I want Mom," she chokes out, burying her face in his chest.

As if on cue, Cordelia bursts into the room, hand flying to her mouth at the scene that greets her. She looks between the twins, noticing that Bella's hands are clean and Henry's are soaked in red. She doesn't even ask what happened, just lifts Henry off the ground, gathers both of them against her and begins to glow faintly, her own tears slipping into their hair as they sob against her.

Angel, angry, turns his attention to the corpse beside them all, crouching beside it, ignoring the tempting scent of Slayer blood.

"How did we miss this?" Buffy questions, standing beside him.

Angel rips a talisman from Lucia's neck and hands it to her. "Protection from psychic investigation. Temporary. Probably would've worn off in the next few days."

"I'm so sorry, Angel," Buffy says softly as she notices his eyes slipping to Cordy and the twins.

"Don't be," he sighs, standing and meeting her gaze. "We got sloppy, soft. We'll leave in the morning."

Connor arrives with the clean-up crew, anger sparking in his eyes at the scene before him.

Noting the tattoo, he snarls, "'Abd al-Hamid."

Angel nods.

"Is Damascus our next stop?"

"Most likely."

"I'll go sharpen the weapons."

He disappears from the room.

"If 'Abd al-Hamid is after you, why are you going deeper into their territory?" Buffy questions, brow furrowed.

"Just to let them know we're not going to sit here and let them terrorize us. A quick hit on a regional headquarters and we'll escape to Asia. The Xui Syndicate hasn't made an attempt on any of us in a while."

"Angel…"

"Can we talk about this later, Buffy?" he asks tiredly.

The Slayer nods, letting him go to comfort his family.

"We should all talk before you leave."

* * *

That night, after the twins, Lucas, and TJ have all been sent to bed, the adults meet in the briefing room.

"I think we should leave Lucas here," Connor speaks up.

"Connor!" Cordelia objects. "We can't just…"

"Just because you have no interest in your son…" Angel interjects.

"No," Connor cuts them off. "This isn't about me. He likes it here. He's safer than being on the run. Dawn and Xander and TJ can give him a real family."

"He _has_ a real family," Cordy says harshly. "You cannot separate him from us. We're all he's ever known."

"Connor has a point," Xander speaks up.

Angel growls, dangerously close to vamping out.

"Stay out of this, Harris," Cordy cuts at him.

"No, I'm in this," Xander says, standing up to her. "Dawn and I would be responsible for him if you left him."

"You already talked to him about this," Cordy turns on Connor, almost shaking with the anger. "You were conspiring to steal my baby boy from me."

"Cordelia," Connor pleads, not liking seeing her so upset. His own feelings about the woman are conflicted by memories of another life, but no matter what, he feels complete loyalty to her. And she loves his son like a mother should, like Kelly would've. "This is what is best for him."

"No," Cordy objects, tears filling her eyes. "No, you just want to be rid of him for good. It's not good enough that you won't look at him when you're with him, you have to get him as far away from you as possible."

"I'm trying to protect him! Isn't that what fathers do?"

"Fathers love their children," she spits back.

"Cordy," Xander tries to intervene, laying a hand on her shoulder. She quickly pushes him away.

"No, you can't let him do this to Lucas. Angel…"

"We're in this together," Angel snarls. "We're a family. All six of us. He comes with."

"He stays," Connor stands firm. "He's my son."

"Nice of you to finally admit it," Cordy spits. "You don't get to pull that now. We've raised him. We get the say. He comes."

"He stays."

"Cordy," Xander pleads, trying to get her to see reason.

"He comes," Angel says, voice deadly quiet.

"He stays," Bella ends the argument from the doorway. Her assertion, as usually the most vocal opponent of Connor's absent-fatherhood, and her sudden appearance brings everything to a grinding halt. Cordy looks a little betrayed, but mostly puzzled. Bella is followed by a haunted-looking Henry, groggy, sleep pants riding low on his hips.

"What's up, Bel'?" Angel asks, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Connor's not getting off the hook for all this crap, but Lucas stays here until it's over."

"What's over?" Cordy questions.

"Everything," Henry says, suddenly looking more confident.

The twins share a look and announce in unison:

"It's time."

* * *

tbc


	4. A Little More Gruesome

Title: Fighting Back

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Angel, Cordelia, the McAllister twins, Connor, Lucas, the Scoobies

Pairings: Angel/Cordelia with residual Buffy/Angel, Willow/Kennedy, Xander/Dawn, and mentions of Buffy/Spike

Summary: Sixteen years after "You're Welcome", six after Not At All and Making Do, Angel's new family returns to Scotland and all hell breaks loose.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans Bella and Henry McAllister, Lucas Jacob Reilly, and a few select Slayers and villains) aren't mine, but the situation is.

Author's Note: Greetings from south of the equator. I've just started a semester abroad here in beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina (hello to any South American readers!) so that's what took this chapter so long (and may take the next chapter longer, we'll see.) So, enjoy! Also, over at Cordy & Angel, At Last (community./caatlast/) there's a ficathon/challenge going on, and I'm trying to scare up some writers and prompters. Head on over and check it out, please!

**Chapter Four: A Little More Gruesome**

"This is consistent with what Andrew and I found in our research six years ago," Giles admits.

"We stop running," Bella says from the head of the table, Henry at her side. Gone is the trembling, broken girl of this afternoon. She is the most assertive anyone in the room has ever seen her, including her twin. "We're ready. We're strong enough. We take the fight to them. One at a time."

"Let's see how they like being hunted," Henry finishes with a smirk.

"I'm in," Connor says easily, clearly pleased with the plan and trusting in the twins.

"Me, too," Angel agrees, though it's all painfully familiar to AI's last stand against the Senior Partners.

The twins accept these volunteers with pleased nods.

"We're not asking anyone to come with us. You all know the risks," Henry says, "But we wouldn't mind the company."

"I'm in, of course," Cordelia says. Over the twins' and Angel's objections, Cordy shouts, "Higher Power. Cannot die. Can any of you say that?" At their silence: "I win; I'm in."

"I'm in," Kennedy announces confidently, earning a dazzling grin from Henry.

"Greatly appreciated," he says softly, eyes bright.

"I want in," Xander adds.

"No," Bella shoots him down. "You're needed here. TJ needs you, and we need you and Dawn to take care of Luke."

Xander concedes.

"Willow, you're needed here, too. Any spells and potions won't go unappreciated, but keeping the kids safe is our number one priority."

"I also have responsibilities here," Giles says. "And I'm too old to be of any assistance to you children."

"Understood, Mr. Giles," Bella says, kindly.

"I need to stay, too," Andrew weighs in.

The twins accept this easily. There's a lull in the conversation.

"I'm in," Buffy breaks the silence, surprising everyone.

"Buffy, you don't have to," Angel starts.

"Don't have to. Want to. Three Slayers are better than two."

"Agreed. From this moment on, we're escalating the war. Our first target is 'Abd al-Hamid," Bella says, getting a nod from her brother. "We'll need to get some intel. And for that we'll need to split up…"

* * *

"Do you understand what I'm saying, baby?" Cordelia asks through eyes heavy with tears, holding the boy's face in her hands. "We'll be back. I promise."

Lucas's lip quivers, and tears trickle down his cheek from deep, soulful brown eyes.

"Show me you understand me, Lucas," Cordy begs, pressing her forehead to his. He nods against her, and Cordy cries harder.

"Cordy, we should go," Angel says gently, hand on her shoulder.

She pulls Lucas tight against her, pressing her face into his neck.

"I love you, Lucas. _We_ love you so much. We'll be back. You just stay here and play with TJ, and…" Her voice breaks, and she kisses him on his forehead and cheeks, wiping away his tears.

"Okay. Okay." She takes a deep breath and hands the boy to Angel.

Angel kisses Lucas and holds him close before handing him off to Xander. Lucas begins wailing and reaching for Cordelia, while Xander holds on tight. Angel puts his arms around Cordelia and starts to lead her away.

"It's for the best," Angel assures her, practically pulling her away as Lucas continues to cry wordlessly, incomprehensibly. He echoes her words to his grandson, "We'll be back."

"We've never been apart," she says brokenheartedly.

Angel squeezes her again, reassuringly. "We'll be back."

The door closes behind them, but they can still hear Lucas screaming.

* * *

Blinking in the harsh glare of the lights, Angel clears his throat.

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this. He's not going to want to see me."

It has been a month since they last saw the twins, three weeks since they said goodbye to Lucas, and Cordy has been in a foul mood ever since. Angel isn't much better, and the two've been bickering since leaving Scotland.

"We didn't come all this way for you to chicken out," Cordy bites back, frustrated. She's never been apart from any of the children, and while she knows Lucas is safe and sound with the Summers-Harris family, she has no idea just exactly where the twins, separated from each other, are. The fact that they bear the weight of leading this war does little to calm her nerves.

Finally looking up at the vampire at her side, Cordy notes the nervous, pained expression he wears, and her annoyance flickers and fades a little. She adds, more gently, "He'll be fine. You never forced him to do anything, and you didn't stop him when he wanted out. Plus," her grin widens, "You have me. That'll be a nice surprise. And I didn't get to come last time you were here; I was too busy being bored in the Higher Planes."

Tearing his eyes from scanning the huge crowds for any sign of danger, Angel meets her eyes and squeezes her hand.

"The sooner we do this," he sighs, "The sooner we can meet up with the kids."

They push through the masses on the Strip and into a nearby casino, finding their way to a dressing room. Twenty minutes later, their awaited friend bursts in, as Cordelia sinks into the shadows, allowing him one surprise at a time.

"What are you doing here?" Krevlornswath demands, voice colder than they've ever heard. "I got out of your game a long time ago, Angelcakes."

"And I've left you alone," Angel admits. "But I need a favor. It's important."

Lorne studies him, brow furrowing as he loosens his tie.

"How do you feel more like the Princess now than ever? I thought you were in Scotland boinking the Slayer."

"Hi, Lorne," Cordelia says softly, stepping into the light.

"Holy hot pants. Cordelia!" The green demon enfolds the Higher Being in a monstrous hug. "Oh my Manilow. How…? No, don't even try to explain it. Hum me a little tune."

"Lorne…"

"No, no," the demon insists studying her with unabashed affection and joy. "Hum away, Cordelicious or I'll make the vampire sing some "Mandy"."

"Okay. Okay," Cordy laughs and hums a little "Row, Row, Row your boat."

"Oh. Oh wow," Lorne exclaims, delighted. "Look at you two playing Mommy and Daddy! Where are the little nuggets?"

"Elsewhere," Cordy answers. "It's safer for you if you don't know. We need some information. Have you had any… interesting audience members recently?"

"Interesting as in lackeys for the Big Five?"

Cordy nods.

"Hmm. Grab a drink, sweetcheeks. Some of my recent readings are starting to make a hell of a lot more sense. Who'd've thunk _that_ was what Slayer-in-halves meant? I was thinking something a little more gruesome than two beautiful blonds."

* * *

"Three on the left. Four on the right. Which do you want?"

Strapping the spring-loaded stakes to her forearms and checking the trigger on her crossbow, Bella peeks to confirm Connor's assessment.

"Left, sure," she nods, hiking the knapsack they've been living out of for the past month over her shoulders. "Get a head start and I'll race you."

Broadsword in hand, Connor nods and leaps silently into the warehouse. Bella slips her own sword into the space between her bag and her back while she watches Connor engage his vampires. As soon as the first contact is made, Bella jumps from her perch to land behind her three vampires. Distracted by the fight across the warehouse, they don't notice as she comes up and stakes two of them in the back. The third whirls around just as Bella's retracting her stakes. After a few cursory punches, she puts the final vampire out of his misery with a quick staking.

When she reaches Connor, he's still fighting with his final vamp, obviously the strongest of the group of seven. Bella taps the demon on the shoulder and lays him out with a right hook, slipping her crossbow from the holster on her hip and pressing it to the vampire's chest.

"Here's the deal. I'm going to let you go, after Connor here roughs you up a little, because I want a message delivered to 'Abd al-Hamid. Are you high up enough to get that done for me?"

Snarling, the vampire nods. "I know who you are."

"Good, that makes the message shorter, and Connor gets to beat you up sooner. I want you to tell your boss that we're done."

"Done what?" the vamp spits.

"Running, hiding. All of it. Make sure he gets the message loud and clear: We're declaring war."

* * *

"A palace? Really? That's so…"

"Trite?" Henry finishes for his companion, handing her one of his falafels and sticking the rest in his backpack for later. "Ol' Hammy's not known for his subtlety or innovation. Stringing people up by their toes just for fun, that he _is_ known for."

"Hammy?" Kennedy questions. "You're on a nickname basis with the head of an occult mafia?"

"You would be, too, if you spent your entire life running from him. Met him once, right in that palace in fact. When you're the one without the super strength, you usually end up being the one getting nabbed. I was eight. We were in Beirut. I got to be the bait. I think he likes me."

"Yeah," Kennedy says, adjusting her binoculars. "Let's not test that theory any time soon, okay? You don't think he knows we're here, do you?"

Flopping down on the motel bed, Henry answers, "Not if your girl's spells are working. Which, pardon the pun, considering she's the most powerful Wicca I've ever heard of, seems pretty likely. Anyway, we've got the boring part of the job anyway. We've laid all the groundwork we can. Now we wait until everyone else is ready."

Kennedy turns away from the window and sits down on the bed next to him.

"Henry, what happens if we do take down 'Abd al-Hamid? You think the other Four aren't going to notice? With each step we make up the ladder, the harder it's going to get."

"I know," Henry sighs. "I dreamt it."

"Are you ready for that, Hank?"

"I have to be," Henry shrugs. "It's time. Kennedy, Bella and I were created for this purpose. To purify the world. I know that sounds all creepy and religious, but it is what it is."

"I just can't imagine this is what your mother wanted for you."

"Cordy understands about our destiny. It's why she was sent to us."

"I'm not talking about Cordelia. I'm talking about your mother, the one who carried you for nine months…"

"Eight. We're twins."

"Henry…"

"Kennedy, Julia McAlister knew we had a destiny. Knew that we were special. It's why she died for us."

"She died for you because she was your mother. That's enough."

Henry meets her eyes briefly, letting out a sigh, before standing and going to the window. Leaning on the sill, he looks out over Damascus.

"Maybe it's not what she wanted. I wouldn't know; I have very little memory of her. I don't know who she was. But Cordy knew her, loved her. And I have to believe that Cordy raised us the way Julia wanted us to be raised. But I don't know, I don't know her, because she was killed by the same evil we're trying to take down. I hope that's what she would've wanted."

* * *

"Sun's coming up," Connor informs her, "We should be safe for the day. Hop the train to Damascus in the afternoon. I want you to get some sleep. I'll sleep on the train."

Bella scuffs out the small fire they've had burning all night, stretches out on the cold concrete of the warehouse.

"Careful, Connor," she teases, "Starting to sound like a big brother."

Connor cuts his eyes at her from his perch at the window. "Lucas wants his Bella back. You need your rest."

"Got it, big bro," she grins, resting her head on the backpack. "Wake me an hour before the train."

Connor nods and resumes his watch. He listens for her breath to even out in sleep, and when it doesn't, he sighs, "What, Bella?"

"Do you think he's okay?"

"Who?"

"Luke. He's never been separated from any of us before. And they don't understand how he communicates as well as any of us do."

"Good. Maybe he'll start talking."

"Connor…"

"You can't worry about Lucas, Bella. He's the safest of anyone. You just declared war on Khaled 'Abd al-Hamid. Focus on that, so you stay alive."

"What did you focus on, in Quor-toth?"

Connor's face darkens. "Bella, the memories are all jumbled…"

"Henry says killing Angel."

"Angelus," Connor corrects instinctively, "And what does Henry know about Quor-toth?"

"Doyle told him. In his dreams."

"Of course," Connor huffs, turning away from her, mumbling under his breath about her brother who knows too much.

After a few minutes of silence, Bella continues, "You know, this is one of the only realities where we exist together." Before he can ask, she answers, "Henry, Doyle, dreams."

"What of it?"

"I don't know. Just seems odd that we don't share realities that often. That it's one or the other."

"Get some sleep," he says roughly.

"Connor, don't you ever think about any of it?"

"No, Bella. It's better if you don't, I promise. Focus, remember?" He turns around to meet her eyes again, suddenly more vulnerable than she's ever seen him. "I need you to stay alive, okay?"

Because he was at the edge of nothing and a ten-year-old little girl pulled him back with a gentle hand and soft words, loved him and loved his son, unconditionally.

"Just stay alive," he repeats thickly.

"Okay, Connor," she acquiesces quietly. "I promise."

* * *

tbc


	5. A GodKing Subservient

Title: Fighting Back

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Angel, Cordelia, the McAllister twins, Connor, Lucas, the Scoobies

Pairings: Angel/Cordelia with residual Buffy/Angel, Willow/Kennedy, Xander/Dawn, and mentions of Buffy/Spike

Summary: Sixteen years after "You're Welcome", six after Not At All and Making Do, Angel's new family returns to Scotland and all hell breaks loose.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans Bella and Henry McAllister, Lucas Jacob Reilly, and a few select Slayers and villains) aren't mine, but the situation is.

**Chapter Five: A God King Subservient**

Morning breaks over Damascus harshly, glinting off any reflective surface, beating down on those foolhardy enough to be up at this hour. Buffy pushes her way through the growing crowds on the street, head and face covered, glancing periodically over her shoulder at her stilted, awkward companion.

The demon god still seems uncomfortable in her new body, though it's been sixteen years since she took it over. Buffy almost lost her life in pursuit of Illyria, still has the bruises to show for it, but all she had to say to convince the god to join the mission was: "Cordelia". Much to the disdain and confusion of the old one, Illyria retains certain feelings and memories of Winifred Burkle, the woman whose "shell" she has taken over. The memories of Fred's affection for Cordelia Chase, and Illyria's constant hunger for a bloody fight, have bound her to aid in the coming war.

"The vampire has only disdained me in the past," Illyria speaks up as in one quick step she is at Buffy's side. Her blue features are hidden underneath a burka, but her odd manner of speech would draw the attention of any English speakers around them.

"You stole the body of one of his friends; it's understandable."

"Then why does he ask now for my help?"

"He's not. It's Cordelia, and their… kids."

Illyria turns her head to the side. "I remember a son, a man-child, that the vampire sired, but he was not Cordelia's."

"It's complicated," Buffy sighs, eyes scanning ahead for their meeting place and any signs of danger.

Suddenly, hands reach out and pull each of them into an alley.

"Shh," a familiar voice whispers in Buffy's ear and presses a small, cool object into the Slayer's hand. Feeling the contours, she recognizes it as a clagdagh ring and pulls away to meet Bella's eyes.

"Illyria, stand down," Buffy orders gently, and the god king releases Connor from her grasp.

"The Destroyer," Illyria appraises. "You have aged, man-child, but your skills have only increased." Her eyes dart to Bella and she freezes. "Vampire Slayer, you were not truthful in your answers to my questions. We come not to the aid of just any children. Slayer-child, your name was whispered in awe and fear even in my time, before Slayers were given life and demon. You and your other half will bring about the destruction of all as it is now. I like destruction."

"That's what I hear, Illyria," Bella nods, unperturbed. "This way. We just got here, but the proposed meeting place is compromised. Kennedy and Henry have a hotel room two blocks down this alley. We're still waiting for Angel and my mom."

"Compromised how, Slayer-child?" Illyria asks, immediately taking up position half a step behind Bella. Buffy has seen what she never thought possible: a god king subservient. "Is it something I can eliminate?"

Bella glances back. "No, Illyria. No eliminating until I say. We're keeping a low profile."

Illyria nods, keeping pace.

Buffy looks over to Connor and raises an eyebrow, but the younger man just shrugs.

"Your other half…" Illyria starts.

"Henry, my brother," Bella interrupts to clarify.

"Yes, the male. He sees?"

Bella, who seems to be understanding Illyria far more than Buffy could or ever expected anyone would, nods curtly. "Everything."

***

When they get to the hotel room, Illyria is silent again, removing her burka as the twins, finally reunited, embrace forcefully. They use no words, whisper no platitudes, just hold on and understand.

"Any word from them?" Bella asks when they finally break apart.

"Kennedy is waiting for them. She'll intercept them before they reach the meeting point, just like she did you."

"Good."

"Are you hungry?" Henry then questions, turning to retrieve fresh food from the table, offering it to the room.

"Thank you, boy-who-sees," Illyria nods, accepting a piece of bread, though Buffy is unsure whether Illyria needs to eat or not.

Connor also accepts, clapping Henry on the back as he takes some fruit. Bella and Buffy also dig in. The twins break off to the side, whispering the half-sentences that somehow form communication for them. Connor sits on the bed, filling up. Illyria is in the corner, eyes locking on the twins.

Buffy moves to the window with her breakfast, looking to the palace in the distance that houses the headquarters of 'Abd al-Hamid. Something feels different about this war, but she's yet to put her finger on it.

That's how Cordy, Angel, and Kennedy find them twenty minutes later.

"What? We have to do all the hard work while you all sit around and eat bon-bons?"

Bella and Henry laugh and practically tackle their surrogate parents to the ground in their excitement to see them.

Cordy hugs each of them, pushing them away to check for any new injuries or scars and grinning when there are none.

"Oh, bubba," she murmurs into Henry's shoulder as she embraces him again.

"Hey, we're fine," Henry grins, looking mostly convincing. "How was Vegas? Everything you imagined?"

"Oh, and more," Cordy teases back.

"Good. Damascus is just hopping, you know."

Cordy laughs, moving to take Bella into her arms again.

"Angel," Henry complains as the vampire embraces him heartily. "One of us has to breathe here."

"Bella-bear," Cordy breathes into the girl's hair, holding her tight.

Bella fights back the tears; she's a general now, a war chief. There is no time for tears, especially when being cuddled by one's mommy.

"Are you guys hungry?" Henry offers. "We've got lots of food and we even stopped by the butcher's."

Angel and Cordy accept, sitting down with the twins, who try their best to act like their normal selves, though there is something crackling beneath the surface.

***

Once everyone is fed and reunited, they get down to the business at hand: taking down 'Abd al-Hamid.

"Did you learn anything useful from your friend in Las Vegas?" Bella asks, tipped back in a chair, deceptively casual. Illyria is, as she has been since their meeting, just behind her and to the right, studying her intently. This gets odd looks from both Cordy and Angel, who look to Buffy and Connor for answers. The two merely shrug in return.

"Yes. About all of the 'Big Five', if you will. Seems the twins have been on everyone's minds more often than usual recently," Angel starts.

"Understandable," Illyria interjects. "They are reaching the age that has been prophesied as their time of destruction."

There's another confused look from the surrogate parents; this one Illyria picks up on.

"Vampire, the prophecy is older than your kind by eons. Most youthful species may have forgotten to fear them, but the names of these children were whispered in terror even in my time."

"Well, that's just peachy," Henry "cordelias". "I always wanted to be a celebrity. But can we get back to what's really important right now? We'll deal with the other four when we get a chance, but we've already openly declared war on ol' Hammy and he's hot on our trail. Any critical intel we need?"

"Yes," Cordelia speaks, taking a folded piece of paper from the front pocket of Angel's shirt and spreading it on the rickety table. "This."

"A necklace?" Connor questions incredulously.

"An amulet, man-child. The Amulet of Anem. This folly of arrogance shall cost the sorcerer greatly."

"Um, translation from the god-speak?" Kennedy requests.

"Illyria is saying that using this amulet is a profitable but risky move. Any and all operatives working for 'Abd al-Hamid, from drug runners to his highest advisors, have to pledge their lives on the Amulet of Anem. And that pledge is quite literal. It provides incorruptible loyalty, because 'Abd al-Hamid can destroy any of his henchmen at will, but it is one giant weakness."

"Destroy the amulet," Angel finishes for Cordy. "Destory the henchmen. Which leaves only 'old Hammy' himself to take care of."

"Whoa," Bella gets out, letting her chair fall back to the stone floor with a clatter.

"Damn," Henry and Kennedy echo in unison.

"That seems incredibly stupid," Connor notes.

"Almost too easy," Buffy puts in.

"That's what we said," Cordy nods. "But Lorne's information is good. Picked it up off of 'Abd al-Hamid himself when he was in Vegas last year. The real nature of the amulet isn't known to many."

"So, what's the plan?" Buffy asks. "We still have to get to 'Abd al-Hamid in order to destroy the amulet, and that palace is heavily guarded."

"That's was Illyria is here for," Bella speaks up.

The god king perks at the sound of her name.

"In what capacity do you need me, Slayer-child?"

A big grin breaks out over Henry's face:

"One big ol' distraction."

***

Cordy now understands Angel's aversion to Illyria. She is too much of Fred and yet not enough. Adding to Cordy's wariness is Illyria's strong interest in the twins, Bella especially. It is working to their advantage for now, as she seems even subservient to the "Slayer-child", but it is off-putting, nonetheless.

Also worrying Cordelia's mind is her separation from Lucas. The helpless little boy is never far from her mind.

In addition to all of that worry, is worry about the plan.

"I still think we should go in at night," she whispers to Angel, who is feigning sleep in the chair next to her.

Vampire-quick, his fingers are tangled with hers.

"It's a good plan."

"I know, I know. Catch everyone with their pants down. It's safer for everyone. Except you."

She meets his eyes.

"Except me," he confirms. "Don't…"

"Don't you dare tell me not worry, Broody Boy. You're not the one who has to go on once the sun turns you into dust."

"That's what this is about."

"Angel, if you all die in there, I'll still be here. I still have to go on."

"Good," Angel says seriously. "Someone has to look after Lucas."

She holds his gaze, anger overtaking fear.

"What do you want me to say, Cordy?" he asks.

"Some dumb promise about how you're not going to die would be nice," she mutters, arms crossing over her chest.

He smiles his dorky smile.

"You're the grumpiest Higher Being I've ever met."

"Yeah? Well, you're the dorkiest vampire I've ever met."

"That's why you love me."

She pffts: "Something like that."

***

_"It's a good plan,"_ Henry tells himself, hand shifting and reshifting on the hilt of his broad sword as he, Connor, and Kennedy wait from the signal from the other wall of the building, having quickly dispatched their sentries. Across the way, Angel, Cordy, and Buffy are in position. Below, knocking on the front door, are Bella and Illyria.

"Slayer-child," hisses the major domo at the door. "Bella McAlister. How good of you to hand yourself over to be killed. It saves all of the collateral damage. Where is your brother?"

"Beats me," Bella shrugs sweetly. "Probably off dreaming something."

"You are funny, Slayer-child. Who is your friend?"

"Hmm. Interesting that you should ask. Mahmoud bin-Amir, meet Illyria. Illyria, say hello."

Bin-Amir's neck is napped before he knows what's happening.

"Sorry," Bella shrugs again. "She's not quite house trained."

The Canis demon guards leap into action, but Illyria sends them crashing into the wall, whimpering like puppies.

Bella and Illyria push into the front door, and Buffy signals them into action.

***

"What's all that racket?" Khaled 'abd al-Hamid asks, rousing from his afternoon nap to chaos in his palace.

"A disturbance at the door, sir," a sniveling vampire aide says.

'Abd al-Hamid waves a hand at a nearby sphere, illuminating it with surveillance footage from the front hall.

"What the hell is that thing?" he demands, marveling at the carnage filling his foyer. "And why doesn't it work for me?"

"Because she works for me."

"Slayer-child!"

He fires off a bolt of energy she easily dodges.

"She's an old one. As old as the prophecy that says I'm going to kill you."

"Lock down this chamber!" he orders frantically, erecting a shield of magic around him.

"A little late for that, don't you think, Hammy?"

"Henry," 'abd al-Hamid growls. "I've missed you, boy."

"Not as much as I missed you," Henry grins, staking the vampire that confronts him.

The twins easily dispatch the remaining guards in 'abd al-Hamid's room, soon circling an increasingly nervous sorcerer behind his crackling shield.

"Prophecy's a bitch, isn't it, Hammy? Here: this'll make it better. You started it. Yep, you heard me right. You turned us on, and now this buzzing in our heads won't stop until you're all gone!"

As he shouts the last part, Henry picks up a nearby chair and hurls it at the red shield. The chair falls aside uselessly, but the shield begins to show signs of weakness.

"Yes, forgive the cultural stereotype, but you were the straw that broke the camel's back," Bella says, more even-keeled than her brother. "But don't worry: your name will live on in history. You've woken the Slayer in halves."

"And since you're not Wolfram and Hart, we'll make sure your death is quick," Henry assures him sinisterly.

"Your delusions are interesting, children," Khaled blusters, voice wavering in time with the shield. "Here's the problem. My shield will outlast your god."

"Mmm, I wouldn't bet on that one," Bella says, starting to swing her sword menacingly. "Will you?"

"And the way I see it, Hammy, you're safe behind that until it goes out, but you're not willing to take the gamble that it will hold until the old one gets here. In order to turn on the offense, though, you have to turn off the defense."

"So come on. First shot's free. You could take one of us out; the other would still kill you, but you could be the hero, the one who stopped us from taking everyone else down."

"C'mon, Hammy," Henry taunts.

The shield falls momentarily and Hammy aims at Henry, predictably.

"Wrong choice," Bella grinds out, leaping at him and driving the tip of her sword into his chest. It doesn't get very far: the Amulet of Anem saves his life but is destroyed in the process. "Sorry about your pretty necklace."

"And about this," Henry says, swinging his sword wide and decapitating Khaled 'abd al-Hamid just as Illyria blasts open the door.

The twins, breathing heavily, look up and meet their parents' eyes, letting their weapons clatter to the floor.

"Did it work?" Bella asks, gesturing to the broken amulet.

"What few Old Blue didn't take out fell down dead," Kennedy nods.

"Good."

"What next, Slayer-child?" Illyria asks, completely oblivious to the blood and dust clinging to her.

A pained expression on her face, Bella kicks a nearby kerosene lamp onto 'abd al-Hamid's bed.

"Torch the place."

As the twins wordlessly collect their weapons and exit the room, Cordelia looks up to Angel and says grimly: "One down, four to go."

* * *

tbc


End file.
